Pickets (Right to strike)

583. The action of pickets organized in accordance with the law should not be subject to interference by the public authorities.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 432.)

584. The prohibition of strike pickets is justified only if the strike ceases to be peaceful.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 433.)

585. The Committee has considered legitimate a legal provision that prohibited pickets from disturbing public order and threatening workers who continued work.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 434.)

586. Taking part in picketing and firmly but peacefully inciting other workers to keep away from their workplace cannot be considered unlawful. The case is different, however, when picketing is accompanied by violence or coercion of non-strikers in an attempt to interfere with their freedom to work; such acts constitute criminal offences in many countries.

(See the Digest of 1985, para. 435; see also 294th Report, Case No. 1724, para. 367; and 294th Report, Cases Nos. 1687, 1691 and 1712, para. 621.)

587. The requirement that strike pickets can only be set up near an enterprise does not infringe the principles of freedom of association.

(See 256th Report, Case No. 1430, para. 192.)